The Georgia College Bobcats visited the Augusta University Jaguars at Christenberry Fieldhouse in a matchup of two 10-1 teams. After a defensive and physical battle, the home team took the 73-53 victory and improved to 11-1.
While many of the teams AU has taken down have been either slower or smaller than them, the Bobcats matched up with them well, exhibiting both athleticism and toughness from the first tip.
GC sophomore Jordan Thomas knocked down an early three-pointer to help the Bobcats jump out to an early 9-1 lead, but AU freshman Ja’Queze Kirby answered with one of his own soon after, and the score was 9-7 in favor of GC.
AU found their rhythm after a slow start, going on a 10-0 run to make the score 11-9 before Bobcats’ junior Chapin Rierson stopped the bleeding with a three.
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Kirby sank another three to tie the game at 14 with eight minutes remaining in the first half. He would end up as the team’s leading scorer on the night, tied with 7’0 junior Tyshaun Crawford with 14.
Crawford got the better of the smaller GC lineup with six minutes remaining in the half, converting to down-low dump-offs into easy lay-ups.
Head coach Dip Metress was irate after Crawford was called for his second foul of the game on a defensive rebound. The coach earned himself a bench warning as a result of his protest with the referees.
Graduate student Troy Cracknell banked in a short jumper to extend the Jags’ lead to five, and the score was 23-18 with four and half minutes remaining in the first period.
Junior Tyree Myers knocked down a three and Cracknell followed with another. Bobcats junior Wesley Simpson fired one of his own before the half, and the score was 31-26.
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The second half began with Cracknell converting a contested lay-up and a free throw to follow, and the Jags had taken what felt like a commanding 10-point lead in such a low-scoring, defensive affair. It would be the last time the Bobcats were within striking distance.
Crawford lobbed one up for Kiby, who converted, and the score was 38-26. Bobcat freshman Luke Chism put in a short jumper, and Crawford went up for an easy dunk on the other end of the floor, prompting a Georgia College time-out.
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Georgia College continued to have struggles getting the ball to fall both from deep and in the paint. Simpson did get in a contested layup, but junior Darren Lucas-White answered with a short jumper, extending AU’s lead to nine.
Both teams had chances on both open and contested looks all night, but the ball simply went in more for Augusta on this night.
Myers scored on yet another contested attempt and he knocked in the free throw to follow. AU was up 47-35 with 12 minutes remaining in the game.
The Bobcats’ Simpson took a foul of his own and converted the free throw, cutting the deficit to nine.
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Kirby knocked down a wide-open three-pointer to get the Jags back out in front by 12, and Lucas-White converted a lay-up not long after.
The physical play continued throughout the game, and both teams had racked up eight fouls each with eight minutes left in the game.
Kirby sent the home crowd into a frenzy when he made a solo steal, weaved his way through two defenders and threw down a vicious slam to extend the Jags’ lead to 20.
Both teams’ starters were pulled not long after, and the rest of the game’s time ticked away with limited action. The final score was a 73-53 in favor of AU.
Tyshaun Crawford scored 14 points and collected five rebounds for the Jags. Kirby bested him with six rebounds. It was an off night for AU’s leading scorer, Miguel Arnold, who chipped in only five points.
The Jags have scored 73 points or more in every game this season besides their road loss at the hands of Columbus State on Dec. 20. That same Columbus State team will play AU at Christenberry Fieldhouse on Jan. 15.
Before that rematch, though, the AU men will take on Young Harris (3-9) on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 3:30 p.m.
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Prior to the boys’ game, the Georgia College women’s team felled the Lady Jaguars 44-42 in overtime.
Michaela Lane of Augusta, left, attempts a shot over Cassidy Markle of Georgia College. MIKE ADAMS/PHOTO.
Kiera Howard of Augusta reaches for a rebound against Georgia College. MIKE ADAMS/PHOTO
Kennedi Manning of Augusta, left, battles with Anaya Cone of Georgia College. MIKE ADAMS/PHOTO.
The Lady Jags take on Young Harris at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8 at Christenberry Fieldhouse.
Tyler Strong is the Business Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at tyler@theaugustapress.com
